Lal Masjid showdown claims 10 lives: security personnel, photojournalist and trader among dead

At least 10 people, including a photo-journalist and three security personnel, were killed and over 150 injured in fierce clashes between security forces and Lal Masjid armed students in the federal capital on Tuesday following a stand-off between the government and the mosque administration.
Those who were killed included three students of Lal Masjid, two police officials, two rangers, a businessman and an unknown passer-by. The tension between the government and Lal Mosque administration reached crisis point at 11:45 when a madrassah student allegedly opened fire, killing a ranger, Mubarak Ali.
The law enforcement agencies retaliated by firing shells and bullets throughout the day and late into night in regular intervals. Use of heavy weaponry was witnessed at Lal Masjid neighbourhood which presented a picture of a battlefield.
Ambulances rushed the dead and injured to hospitals. Emergency was declared at all hospitals of the twin cities. Majority of the injured were girl students of Jamia Hafsa, who fell unconscious due to teargas shelling.
Javed Khan, a photographer of a local newspaper, killed in the cross-fire in front of the Ministry of Environment building, and four other photo journalists sustained serious injuries while shooting the clashes between the two sides. Israr Khan, a cameraman of CNBC Pakistan, underwent surgery at Shifa International Hospital after he received three bullets. His condition was stated to be critical.
Tuesday morning, forces started moving towards Lal Masjid area and positioned themselves at F G Girls Model School opposite the mosque. The Municipal Road where the Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa are located was completely closed for traffic and pedestrian movement.
Security forces resorted mainly to tear gas shelling in an attempt to flush out the female students of Jamia Hafsa, the religious seminary for female students, to clear the building without major loss of life.
The students of Lal Masjid were also seen using latest weapons, wireless sets and masks while engaged in clashes with the law enforcement agencies. A large number of people living in surroundings areas were moved to safe places and denounced the government for launching operation without informing the nearby localities.
A large number of people also gathered on the roads and held protest demonstrations against government action. The students of Jamia Hafsa also set the building of Environment Ministry, Pakistan Estate Office and a number of vehicles parked outside the Ministry building on fire.
Using loud speakers, the clerics of Lal Masjid hurled threats of countrywide suicide attacks if the operation was not stopped immediately. Security at the Diplomatic Enclave and outside the offices of embassies was further beefed up following the crackdown, and VIPs were asked to restrict their movement.
All major markets and offices around Lal Mosque were also closed since morning. At a news conference in the afternoon, Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani and State Minister for Interior Zafar Iqbal Warriach said that the government was left with no other option but to launch action for maintaining its writ, which had been challenged by the clerics for the past many months.
However, they the government had not ruled out the possibility of holding talks with the Masjid administration for the resolution of crisis. The Ministers said that the law enforcement agencies had not resorted to fire, but had tried to evacuate all female students of Jamia Hafsa safely.